Apollo Capsule Lands at New Mexico Space Museum

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When it comes to museum membership perks, a full-size spacecraft
is hard to top.

Just such a benefit landed at the New Mexico
Museum of Space History Friday (March 1), signaling the
Alamogordo institution, a division of the New Mexico Department
of Cultural Affairs, had become a Smithsonian Affiliate. The
capsule, a metal mockup of the 1960's module that flew Apollo
astronauts to the moon, is on loan to the museum from the
Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC.

"The arrival of the Apollo boilerplate represents the first of
many new artifacts and exhibits that the museum will be able to
share with its visitors because of our Smithsonian Affiliation,"
Chris Orwoll, the museum's executive director, said in a
statement.

The capsule's arrival was celebrated at a public ceremony and
coincided with Governor Susana Martinez issuing a proclamation
that March 1 would be New Mexico Museum of Space History Day, a
free day for the state's residents.

"The Smithsonian Affiliations program will give the [space
history] museum the opportunity to share with the citizens of New
Mexico a wealth of scholarly expertise, exhibits, artifacts and
educational materials from the Smithsonian's unparalleled
collections," the governor's proclamation read in part. [ Where
Are America's Greatest Spaceships? (Infographic) ]

Left turn at Alamogordo

New Mexico's new Apollo
boilerplate capsule, known by its serial number 1207, was
originally used to train Navy and Air Force personnel in the
procedures for recovering the three-seater spacecraft following
its return to Earth to splashdown in the ocean.

After the Apollo
program ended, NASA donated the steel capsule to the
Smithsonian Institution in December 1976. The boilerplate was
then immediately loaned to a school district in Lake County,
Fla., for display at a local science center. It was later moved
to the nearby Ocala Discovery Science Center, where it sat on
outdoors exhibit until late last month.

Boilerplate 1207 (BP-1207) made the 1,500 mile road trip from
Ocala to Alamogordo strapped onto a flat bed truck. The capsule,
which at some point was painted white and had the NASA "worm"
logo and the words "United States" and "Apollo" applied to its
side, embarked on the cross-country journey uncovered.

A banner affixed around its base invited those who saw the
spacecraft to "Follow me to the New Mexico Museum of Space
History."

Now positioned in its temporary parking spot outside the
Alamogordo museum, its new curators are developing a
restoration plan to be approved by the Smithsonian. After that
work is done, the museum plans to move BP-1207 to a new concrete
pad in front of its memorial park.

Membership has privileges

Of the thousands of museums located across the United States,
only 177 are Smithsonian Affiliates. Together they represent 41
states, Puerto Rico and Panama.

"Being chosen as a Smithsonian Affiliate is a significant
milestone for a museum and the New Mexico Museum of Space History
is privileged to be among those chosen," New Mexico Cabinet
Secretary Veronica Gonzales said in a statement.

The space
history museum, as part of the cultural affairs department,
is the first in the state system to become a Smithsonian
Affiliate. Three other independent museums in New Mexico are also
members.

Affiliates are selected for their record of presenting high
quality exhibits, scholarship, professionalism and museum
educational programs. In addition to the boilerplate, the New
Mexico Museum of Space History also displays an Apollo-recovered
moon rock, spacesuits and space food, a Little Joe II booster,
and hosts the International Space Hall of Fame.

As part of its new affiliation, the museum will be offering its
members additional benefits, including subscriptions to either
Smithsonian or Air & Space magazine, personalized Smithsonian
membership cards and opportunities for tours and travel.